If there is any holiday that combines all the best festivity practices, food and entertainment, Russia's got it. New Year's is the first celebration in a month of endless holidays and hardly any work days -- except Santa's, or Grandfather Frost's. Most ex-Soviet countries celebrate in the same manner since the Soviet Union banned all religious holidays from the calendar. However, traditions were too strong to suppress, people yearned for soulful celebration and they committed to a new holiday. New Year's in Russia, and in a Russian household, includes endless tables of food, merry vibes, and rich traditions.
New Year's Eve involves much more preparation than American Christmas, yet miraculously Russians manage to arrange everything on December 31st. It isn't a holiday about resting, it's actually about eating, dancing, celebrating as much as possible and trying to see as many people as possible. Children learned to love every aspect of this holiday frenzy. They learned to cheat the Soviet government, they learned to do the impossible and somehow get drunk without a hangover in the morning. Though difficult to imagine and even harder to endure, New Year's makes for the best memories that can be recounted every other New Year.
Components of a Russian New Year
TELEVISION: There is no Ball Drop. The Times Square Ball Drop does not even make any sense because there's absolutely no symbolism in it. On the other hand, hearing President Putin give a lengthy speech inspiring us to new beginnings and personal victories is the only way to start a really new year. Even if one wanted to, escaping the New Year's felicitation is utterly impossible and so one grows to love it. The speech is then followed with a chiming clock on the Kremlin that beats 12 times for every month, 12 seconds before the commencement.
In Russian, it's the куpaнты. Recently, a new tradition evolved from some movies that one must write down a wish on a piece of scrap paper, burn it, throw it in a glass of champagne and drink within the 12 seconds for the dream to turn into reality. I have personally tested this one out and I would like to see the person that can do all that within 12 seconds. That's my wish!
Russian's celebrate in front of the television set all night. Before you rule out any possibility of that being fun, hear me out. Every channel, especially Channel 1, has its version of a New Years Holiday Show called "New Year's Little Blue Light," Новогoдний Голубoй Oгонёк. People sing along to the television screen, dance and when they get tired they can simply watch others have fun. Most incredibly, the entire country unites under the same show and that's the strength of Russian celebrations, the whole country celebrates.
When everyone finally settles down from the festivities, they watch a traditional New Year's movie that depicts miracles and love stories possible only one day a year. It's a story that men, women and children alike hope will happen in their lives one day as well. The "Irony of Fate" is the ultimate New Year's goal! Ирoния Судьбы, или С Лёгким Паром! Other movies include Джентельмeны Удачи (Gentlemen of Fortune), Иван Васильевич Меняет Профессию (Ivan Vasilyevich: Back to the Future) Карнавальная Ночь (Carnival Night), and the newer Ёлки (Evergreen Trees).
FOOD: The most daunting work lies in the hands of the woman of the house. They must prepare the food, decorate the house, make sure that everyone has well pressed clothing, prepare gifts and look stunning at the same time. One reason why Russian women are so valued is because they can easily do the above mentioned and still have enough energy to celebrate all night because they know that there are at least two other holidays within the same month when they will have to prepare more food.
The most well known dish for New Year's is Olivier Salad, Оливье. Why someone named a potato salad with eggs, sausage, carrots, peas, and eggs drowning in mayonnaise with a French name is beyond me. A simple Vasiliy, Вася, would suffice.
However, a Russian New Year's is a feast therefore supplied with a few other mayonnaise based salads like Herring Under a Fur Coat, Селедка Под Шубой, and Mimosa Salad, Салат Мимоза. All this is accompanied by cold cuts, all types of salami, caviar, and everything possible in pickled form, and preferably from grandma's house. The rest includes versions of pierogi, borsch, and every other Russian dish.
The ensemble of mayo and vegetables gets watered down with tons of champagne, in particular Soviet champagne, Советское Шампанское. No other drink is acceptable unless its the good ol' vodka (cue Russian accent.)
Finally, no day goes without clementines, mandarins, tangerines and every kind of citrus fruits.
No Santa: Originally, New Year's parties were masquerade balls or costume parties. To this day, on the brink of the holiday, children dress up at school as snowflakes, bunnies or even fox. Children must memorize a poem, or sometimes sing a song, in exchange for a gift from Grandfather Frost.
Grandfather Frost, Дед Мороз, is the good ol' Russian Santa that does not have elves to help him, or reindeer to fly him -- he is omnipotent. Usually he wears a long blue or red fur coat (obviously) with a matching hat and felt boots. He carries around a sack of gifts on his back and a magical staff. Throughout tales, he walks to every home and skis to the most secluded areas.
Grandfather Frost never comes around alone and he does not have a Grandma Frost either, he prefers younger women like his granddaughter the Snow Maiden, Снегурочка, to accompany him around. She has a long white or blue fur coat and her innocent face is adorned with jewels and red cheeks. Any fashionista would be jealous.
Nothing ends on New Years, it only begins. In seven days there are another three days of Christmas celebrations, then Old New Year. New Year's is time to reinvent oneself and really make everything distinct and new.
С Новым Годом!
